The shipyards of Harland and Wolff are to be put into administration as part of the takeover process since their acquisition last month by a Spanish government-owned shipbuilder.
Legal notices this week were published of the intention to appoint administrators to the four yards located on both sides of the Irish Sea, meaning the company's Madrid-based new owner, Navantia, will not be stuck with the firm's legacy debts.
The company that owns Harland and Wolff, with its iconic Belfast shipyard, went into administration in October, but the firms that operate each of the yards also located in Scotland (Arnish and Methil) and (Appledore), England, continued to trade as normal.
It was during December when Harland and Wolff's executive chairman told the Financial Times that the administration would "regrettably" mean losses for some suppliers, leading to concerns being raised about the impact on local businesses.
BBC News has further coverage of the development with political reaction from the continuency within where the Queen's Island shipyard is located in east Belfast.
